THE STATUS
OF WOMEN
AT THE
UNIVERSITY
OF HOUSTON
STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY
October
2007
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
COMMISSION ON WOMEN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Preface
Executive Summary
Introduction
Methodology
Leadership
A.
B.
C.
D.
Administration
Faculty
Staff
Student
Education
A. Students
B. Faculty
Salaries
Athletics
Violence Against Women
Child Care
A. University of Houston Child Care Center
B. The University of Houston Lab School
C. University of Houston Charter School
Women’s Departments on Campus
A. University Commission on Women
B. Women’s Studies Department
C. Women’s Resource Center
Discussion
Recommendations
References
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Beverly A. McPhail, PhD, LMSW is a University Commission on Women member and the Director
of the Women’s Resource Center at the University of Houston. She teaches as adjunct faculty in the
Graduate College of Social Work and the Women’s Studies program. Her research areas include hate
crime and violence against women. She is co-author of the text, Confronting Sexism & Violence Against
Women: A Challenge for Social Work (Longman, 1998). She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in
Nursing from the University of Florida, a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Houston,
and a Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The University Commission of Women would like to thank the University of Houston Office of
Institutional Research for their work in compiling and publishing online the institutional
demographics for the University of Houston, many of which are included in this report. The
Commission would also like to thank the Executive Director of Human Resources, Joan Sigler, for
providing the salary data for this report, and former Human Resources analyst, Jason Stewart, for
conducting the exploratory analysis of the data for the Commission. Thanks to Commission
member and Associate Athletic Director, Diane Hall, for providing reports and surveys on female
student athletes. The author would also like to thank Commission members for reading and
commenting on various portions of this report, however, any mistakes in calculating or reporting are
her own. Thank you to Gloria Smith, Women Resource Center staff, for her careful editing of the
document. Thank you also to Patrick Daniel, Executive Director of Learning & Assessment
Services, and his talented staff for preparing the report for publication.
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PREFACE
The University Commission on Women reports to the office of the President of the University
of Houston and is charged with the responsibility of informing and advising the president, the senior
administrative leadership, and the general university community on issues and concerns that have an
impact on women at the University.
The mission of the University Commission on Women
includes: identifying the concerns of women at the University; promoting gender equality throughout
all areas of the University community; recommending to the appropriate administrative offices ways
to address the concerns of women at the University; communicating and collaborating with other
committees and organizations to provide support, advocacy, and information regarding women's
issues; and raising awareness regarding behaviors, actions, issues, policies, and procedures that affect
the status of women.
In response to this charge, the University Commission on Women compiled this report, which gathers
data on the status of women on the University of Houston campus, including female staff, faculty,
and students. It is our hope that this report can serve as a blueprint for future action for the
University Commission on Women as well as educate the University community about the current status
of women on campus.
2006-2007 University Commission on Women members include:
Wendy Adair
Carol Barr
Christie Brewton
Averill Buchanan
Wynne Chin
Sandy Coltharp
Patrick Daniel
Katherine Frazier
Abel Garza
Elizabeth Gregory*
Diane Hall
Steve Hall
Kelli Harper
Sherry Howard
Chinhui Juhn
Sukran Kadipasaoglu
Stephanie King
Joe Kotarba
Leigh Leasure
Patrick Leung
Sara McNeil
Beverly McPhail
Carolyn Meanley
Dana Rooks
Joan Sigler
Rebecca Szwarc*
Robert Wimpelberg
Franciso Zelaya
* University Commission on Women Co-Chairs
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report gathers secondary data in order to document the status of female students, faculty
and staff at the University of Houston. It provides a snapshot of the status of women across six
areas: Leadership, Education, Salaries, Athletics, Violence, and Child Care and ends with a series of
recommendations to improve the campus climate for women. The findings of the report are mixed.
In some areas women seem to be doing quite well and in other areas lack of opportunities, glass
ceilings, and obstacles to women’s success exist.
„
Women are largely absent at the highest levels of leadership and in faculty positions,
although as this report goes to publication the finalist for the position of President and
Chancellor at the University of Houston is a woman. Currently, women in the University
comprise only 10% of the Board of Regents, 11% of the highest level of University
administration, 7% of Deans, 25% of Faculty Senators, and 26% of Student Government
Senators. The only area of leadership that has a majority of women is the Staff Council.
„
In 2006 female students comprised 52% of the student body and were awarded 55% of
degrees. Female students have greater annual retention and graduation rates than their male
counterparts. In some colleges a gender balance is achieved, such as in the schools of law
and business, while in other schools a gender imbalance is apparent with women being
underrepresented, such as in the schools of technology and engineering.
„
Men outnumber women six to one at the rank of full professor and two to one at the
associate professor level. The higher the faculty rank the more likely the professor is to be
male.
Differences in faculty composition by gender vary by college.
The most
disproportionate numbers are in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics where the
ranked faculty is 90% male and 10% female
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„
Although only an exploratory analysis of aggregate faculty and staff salary data was available
and, in the case of faculty, was not controlled for important variables such as number of
publications or seniority, a clear pattern emerged. In almost every category men were paid
more than their female counterparts. Although monthly differences could be relatively
small, an accumulation of disadvantage was noted when salaries were totaled over twelve
months.
„
Two-thirds of student athletes are male. Coaches for the men’s athletic teams make almost
twice the salary of coaches for the women’s teams. Athletically related student aid for male
student athletes is almost twice that of female student athletes. Six out of seven head coaches
for the women’s teams are male. Despite adding additional women’s sports, such as softball,
the number of female athletes has decreased rather than increased in the past three years.
Finally, 48% of female athletes believe men’s sports are given greater support than women’s
sports while 95% of male athletes believe men and women receive equal support.
„
Six sexual offenses were reported on the campus in 2005 while a state study reveal that only
20% of sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement agencies. The Daily Crime Bulletin
reveals numerous other crimes against women on campus such as harassing emails, phone
calls, and visits (often by former boyfriends);
terroristic threats; and intimate partner
violence.
„
The designated childcare facility on campus is housed in 30-year old “temporary” buildings
and no drop-in, evening, or weekend hours are available. There is a waiting list of over 50
people for nine infant care slots.
Recommendations include the need for qualified women to be represented at the highest levels
of leadership at the University. The childcare situation must be further studied and, if a need is
demonstrated, a new childcare facility should be incorporated into the “Master Plan” that would
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friendly benefits should be made available to better address the work-family balance that is necessary
to attract and retain students, staff, and faculty. The Police Department should record all crimes by
gender and relationship between the involved parties and list annual totals of intimate partner
violence and harassment.
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INTRODUCTION
Early in Texas history when white settlers moved in from the east, a popular proverb at the time
declared that Texas was heaven for men and dogs, but hell for women and horses. Conditions for
women have changed in the state since that time and the status of women has dramatically improved.
Texas has launched a female governor into the national spotlight and female astronauts into space.
Clearly, women in Texas are making great strides.
Although women are moving forward, it is important to continue to document the progress
women are making, or at times, the lack of progress. Over the last few decades concern about the
advancement of women stalling or even facing a backlash have been expressed (Faludi, 1991).
Additionally, women’s progress appears uneven, that is, while some women have gained a measure of
equality in the public spheres of work and politics, women’s status in the home and within
relationships often remains unequal.
The status of women within universities is especially important. Education is a great equalizer,
providing women with opportunities for personal and professional advancement. However, it was
not always so. In the past in the United States women were subtly discouraged or even prohibited
from attending college. In fact, in 1885 the first research study published by the newly formed
American Association of University Women sought to disprove a statement made by a prominent Boston
physician that higher education adversely affected the health and reproductive capabilities of women
(AAUW, 2006).
Although women in the university setting are not facing these same issues today, new challenges
have arisen in their place. For instance, although women comprise a greater number of faculty
members than ever before, there is concern that they are not reaching the highest levels in tenured
track positions (West & Curtis, 2006). Although female students are attending universities in greater
numbers than their male counterparts and doing well academically, critics express concern that the
THE STATUS
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achievement of female students comes at the expense of male students (Nissimov, 2003), although
policy analyses challenge that assertion (King, 2006; Mead, 2006).
With these concerns expressed, it is even more important to document the status of women at
the University of Houston. This report moves beyond the anecdotal to gather the necessary data on
which opinion and action should stand. The report compiles research on women on campus
including students, staff, and faculty.
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II. METHODOLOGY
The report utilizes descriptive rather than inferential statistics. Numbers are rounded to the
nearest tenth in some cases and the nearest whole number in others instances. The sex/gender of
people was largely determined by first names and confirmation was sought through photographs, use
of personal pronouns, and member checking. Vacant or open seats were not included in the
calculations. The data gathered was from secondary sources, most often University of Houston
publications and reports.
The University of Houston Human Resources Department compiled the salary data. A monthly
compensation rate (as opposed to an annual rate) was used to obviate any confusion caused by the 9month/12-month designation of faculty. Caution should be used in drawing conclusions from the
aggregate salary data since descriptive rather than inferential statistics were utilized. Therefore,
variables such as years of experience, academic specialization or expertise, and academic
accomplishments, such as number of publications in peer-reviewed journals were not taken into
account.
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III. LEADERSHIP
An important arena to monitor the status of women is the number of women occupying
leadership positions across the University. At one time the image of leaders was synonymous with
men and masculinity, often exhibiting a “command and control” leadership style. However, women
are increasingly being regarded as leaders in their own right and often demonstrating more
“collaborative” leadership styles.
ADMINISTRATION
According to the President’s Annual Report (2006) out of the ten positions on the University of
Houston System Board of Regents, a woman occupies one position. The Chancellor of University
System who is also the President of the University of Houston is male. At the highest level of
administrative positions, a woman fills one of nine positions.
Of the fifteen Dean positions
identified in the President’s annual report, a woman occupies one position.
Positions
University System
Board or Regents
Highest Level of
Administration
Deans
Faculty Senate
Staff Council
Student Government
Senators
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Male
Female
1
Total number of
occupied Positions
10
Percentage of
men
90%
Percentage of
Women
10%
9
8
1
9
89%
11%
14
39
13
17
1
13
28
6
15
52
41
23
93%
75%
32%
74%
7%
25%
68%
26%
AT THE
U NIVERSITY
OF
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11
Administration Count by Rank and Gender Fall 2006
45
39
40
35
28
30
25
20
17
14
15
9
10
5
13
13
8
1
6
1
1
0
UHS Board or
Regents
Highest Level of
Adm.
Deans
Male
Faculty Senate
Staff Council
SGA Senators
Female
FACULTY
The 2007 Faculty Senate Officers and Committee on Committees are composed of 62% men
and 38% women. The 2006 Faculty Senators are 75% male and 25% female.
STAFF
The 2006-2007 Staff Council President and Vice-President are both women. The Executive
Board is 31% male and 69% female while the entire Staff Council is 32% male and 68% female.
STUDENTS
The President and Vice President of the 2006-2007 Student Government Association (SGA) are
both male. The SGA executive branch is comprised of 71% men and 29% women while the judicial
branch is comprised of 67% men and 33% women. The Senators are 74% male and 26% female.
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IV. EDUCATION
STUDENTS
Across the nation the trend is that more women than men are enrolling in universities. The
University of Houston is no exception. According to Fall Facts 2006 the student body was comprised
of 17,795 women and 16, 539 men for a total of 34, 334 students. Therefore, female students
comprise a majority of students at the UH: 52% of students compared to 48% of male students.
The female student body is racially and ethnically diverse.
During fiscal year 2006, women were more likely than men to be awarded a degree: 3,722
women (55%) compared to 3,010 men (45%). Across the board by race/ethnicity women are about
as likely to earn a degree as their male counterparts, with one noticeable exception.
African
American women are almost twice as likely to earn a degree as African American men. Female
students have both higher annual retention rates and higher cumulative graduation rates than male
students.
It is interesting to note the gender of students by college. In some colleges the numbers are
nearly equal, such as law and business, but in other colleges marked gender segregation is apparent,
for instance, education, technology, and engineering.
Race/Ethnicity of Female Students in FY 2006
Race of Female Students
African American
Asian/Pacific Islander
International
Hispanic
Native American
White/Other
Unknown
Number
2,866
3,326
1,093
3,634
66
6,510
300
T HE S TATUS
U NIVERSITY
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W OM EN
AT THE
Percent
16.1
18.7
6.1
20.4
0.4
36.6
1.7
OF
H O US TON
13
Race/Ethnicity of female students in FY 2006
African
American
16.1%
Unknown
1.7%
White/Other
36.6%
Asian/Pacific
Islander
18.7%
Native
American
0.4%
International
6.1%
Hispanic
20.4%
Degrees Awarded by Race/Ethnicity and Gender in FY 2006
Race/Ethnicity
Percent of Degrees
Awarded to Women
13
18
9
17
1
41
3
African American
Asian/Pacific Islander
International
Hispanic
Native American
White/Other
Unknown
Percent of Degrees
Awarded to Men
7
17
12
15
0
45
3
Percent of Degress Awarded by Race/Ethnicity & Gender in FY 2006
50
45
45
41
40
35
30
25
17 18
20
13
15
12
7
10
15
17
9
5
0
0
African
American
Asian/Pacific
Islander
International
Hispanic
Male
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1
Native
American
White/Other
3
Unknown
Female
14
Annual Retention Rates by Gender for Freshman Enrolled Full-Time in 1999
Sex/Gender
Female
Males
One Year
Later
78.4%
74.1%
Two Years
Later
64.8%
61.3%
Three
Years Later
58.5%
54.4%
Four Years
Later
44.5%
44.8%
Five Years
Later
20.0%
24.4%
Six Years
Later
9.1%
12.0%
Cumulative Graduation Rates by Gender for Freshman Enrolled Full-Time in 1999
Sex/Gender
Female
Males
Four Years Later
12.3%
7.3%
Five Years Later
33.8%
24.6%
Six Years Later
44.7%
35.5%
All Students by Gender by College, Fall 2005 (Statistical Handbook 2006).
College
Architecture
Business
Education
Engineering
Hotel and Restaurant
Management
Law Center
CLASS
Natural Sciences and Math
Optometry
Pharmacy
Social Work
Technology
University Studies
Total
Male Students
N
%
454
2.8%
2,901
17.6%
790
4.8%
1,732
10.5%
391
2.4%
602
3,361
1,819
141
168
46
1,242
2,831
16,478
3.7%
20.4%
11.0%
0.9%
1.0%
0.3%
7.5%
17.2%
Female Students
N
%
301
1.7%
2,650
14.6%
2,572
14.2%
479
2.6%
485
2.7%
529
5,495
1,857
283
356
274
463
2,360
18,104
2.9%
30.4%
10.3%
1.6%
2.0%
1.5%
2.6%
13.0%
FACULTY
According to the Fall Facts 2006, UH has 931 ranked faculty, 1,141 non-ranked faculty (lecturer,
visiting, adjunct), and 1,327 student teaching assistants. The large number of non-tenure track, nonranked faculty echoes a growing trend across the nation, that is, universities predominately employing
a contingent faculty (Curtis & Jacobe, 2006). There are 677 male ranked faculty compared to 254
female ranked faculty (Facts at a Glance, 2006).
Looking specifically at ranked faculty, men outnumber women almost three to one (Fall Facts,
2006). Women comprise 27% of ranked faculty while men comprise 73% of ranked faculty. White
T HE S TATUS
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women comprise the majority of ranked female faculty. Men outnumber women over six to one at
the rank of full professor and two to one at the associate professor level. The higher the faculty rank
the more likely the professor is to be male.
Differences in faculty composition by gender vary by college.
The most disproportionate
numbers are in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics where the ranked faculty is 90%
male and 10% female.
Ranked Female Faculty by Race/Ethnicity and Gender (Facts at a Glance 2006)
Race/Ethnicity of Ranked
Female Faculty
African American
Asian/Pacific Islander
International
Hispanic
Native American
White/Other
Number of Women
Percentage of Women
18
28
22
22
0
164
7%
10%
9%
9%
0
65%
Race/Ethnicity of ranked female faculty in FY 2006
Asian/Pacific
Islander
11.0%
African
American
7.1%
International
8.7%
Hispanic
8.7%
Native Amer.
0.0%
White/Other
64.6%
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Faculty Headcount by Rank and Gender Fall 2005 (Statistical Handbook 2005-06)
Rank
Male
N
Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Total
Female
%
52.0%
31.8%
16.2%
347
212
108
667
N
53
103
76
232
%
22.8%
44.4%
32.8%
Faculty Head Count by Rank and Gender Fall 2005
400
347
350
300
250
212
200
150
103
100
108
76
53
50
0
Professor
Associate Professor
Male
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Faculty Headcount by Rank and Gender Fall 2005 by College, Fall 2005
(Statistical Handbook 2005-06)
College
Ranked Males
N
Architecture
Business
Education
Engineering
Hotel and Restaurant
Management
Law Center
CLASS
Natural Sciences and
Mathematics
Optometry
Pharmacy
Social Work
Technology
University Studies
Total
21
70
37
82
10
%
3.1%
10.5%
5.5%
12.3%
1.5%
32
182
152
24
20
9
18
10
667
Ranked Females
N
Non-Ranked
Males
N
%
44
3.6%
125
10.3%
47
3.9%
130
10.7%
25
2.1%
Non-ranked
Females
N
%
10
1.1%
71
8.1%
100
11.4%
25
2.9%
12
1.4%
4
16
38
8
3
%
1.7%
6.9%
16.4%
3.4%
1.3%
4.8%
27.3%
22.8%
12
98
17
5.2%
42.2%
7.3%
33
305
216
2.7%
25.1%
17.8%
18
383
113
2.1%
43.7%
12.9%
3.6%
3.0%
1.3%
2.7%
1.5%
6
5
10
11
4
232
2.6%
2.2%
4.3%
4.7%
1.7%
20
32
5
75
157
1214
1.6%
2.6%
0.4%
6.2%
12.9%
40
31
15
25
34
877
4.6%
3.5%
1.7%
2.9%
3.9%
Trend in Ranked Female Faculty Head Counts by College Fall 2001-2005
College
Fall 2001
N
%
Fall 2002
N
%
Fall 2003
N
%
Fall 2004
N
%
Fall 2005
N
%
Architecture
Business
Education
Engineering
Hotel and Restaurant
Management
3
11
32
6
5
1.5%
5.4%
15.6%
2.9%
2.4%
3
11
33
6
5
1.4%
5.2%
15.6%
2.8%
2.4%
4
16
36
7
5
1.8%
7.3%
16.4%
3.2%
2.3%
4
16
38
8
4
1.7%
6.9%
16.5%
3.5%
1.7%
4
16
38
8
3
1.8%
7.0%
16.7%
3.5%
1.3%
Law Center
CLASS
Natural Sciences and
Mathematics
10
93
14
4.9%
45.4%
6.8%
12
95
14
5.7%
44.8%
6.6%
11
95
15
5.0%
43.2%
6.8%
10
99
17
4.3%
42.9%
7.4%
12
98
17
5.3%
43.0%
7.5%
Optometry
Pharmacy
Social Work
Technology
5
6
8
12
2.4%
2.9%
3.9%
5.9%
5
5
11
12
2.4%
2.4%
5.2%
5.7%
6
5
9
11
2.7%
2.3%
4.1%
5.0%
6
5
12
12
2.6%
2.2%
5.2%
5.2%
6
5
10
11
2.6%
2.2%
4.4%
4.8%
Total
THE STATUS
205
OF
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212
OF
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220
231
228
18
V. SALARIES
In assessing gender equality on campus, salaries remain an important focus. Salary data on
faculty members can be a challenge to interpret in the aggregate since there are many individual
characteristics that can affect salaries beyond gender such as experience, expertise, merit, age,
academic discipline and department. The overall pattern is that in almost every category men make
more money than women. Although monthly differences can be small, when multiplied by a factor
of 12 for an annual rate, the accumulation of disadvantage is apparent.
Table 1. Aggregate data by employee class.
Empl Class
Count*
F
M
Average Tenure**
F
M
Avg. Monthly Salary Rate
F
M
Difference
M-F
Faculty
Prof/Admin
Support Staff
366
1,134
784
766
861
429
11.3
9.3
9.4
15.5
8.9
9.4
$6,399.45
$4,115.99
$2,262.71
$8,490.98
$4,913.98
$2,493.49
$2,091.53
$797.99
$230.78
Grand Total
2,284
2,056
9.7
11.5
$3,844.74
$5,740.67
$1,895.93
*Only full-time, ben-eligible staff were included in this number; including the President/Chancellor and Head Coaches.
**This average, in years, involves the date the employee was originally hired by the UH-System, not adjusted for breaks in service.
Average Monthly Salary Rate
Average Tenure
$10,000
18
16
15.5
$9,000
$8,491
$8,000
14
$7,000
11.3
12
$6,000
9.4 9.4
8.9 9.3
10
$6,399
$4,914
$5,000
8
$4,116
$4,000
6
$2,493
$3,000
4
$2,000
2
$1,000
$2,263
$-
0
Faculty
Prof/Admin
Male
T HE S TATUS
OF
W OM EN
Support Staff
U NIVERSITY
Prof/Admin
Male
Female
AT THE
Faculty
OF
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Support Staff
Female
19
Table 2. Average age and minimum/maximum monthly rate by employee class.
Empl Class
Average Age
F
M
Faculty
Prof/Admin
Support Staff
47.9
43.1
43.4
53.3
43.2
45.1
Grand Total
43.9
47.4
Minimum
Maximum
F
M
F
M
$ 2,503.68
$ 1,652.40
$ 1,109.33
$ 1,718.75
$ 1,971.66
$ 1,111.07
$19,568.49
$18,684.95
$ 4,338.53
$22,581.23
$35,282.74
$ 4,924.40
Table 3. Aggregate data by academic rank.
Job Title
Count
F
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Professor
Grand Total
Avg. Monthly Salary Rate
F
M
M
Difference
M-F
72
97
58
105
195
307
$6,535.58
$6,342.02
$9,186.91
$7,876.47
$7,226.00
$10,989.43
$1,340.89
$883.98
$1,802.52
227
607
$6,399.45
$8,490.98
$2,091.53
Academic Rank by
Average Monthly Salary Rate
$12,000
$10,989
$10,000
$9,187
$8,000
$7,876
$7,226
$6,536
$6,342
$6,000
$4,000
$2,000
$0
Professor
Associate
Professor
Male
THE STATUS
OF
WOMEN
AT THE
Assistant
Professor
Female
UNIVERSITY
OF
HOUSTON
20
Table 4. Aggregate faculty salary data by College.
College
Count
F
Architecture
Business Administration
Education
Engineering
Social Work
HRM
Law
CLASS
NSM
Optometry
Pharmacy
Technology
Grand Total
Avg. Monthly Salary Rate
F
M
$5,955.31
$6,115.49
$11,803.35
$12,953.84
$6,156.02
$7,440.49
$7,715.80
$11,257.20
$6,684.13
$9,140.27
$7,243.15
$8,607.15
$11,037.37
$11,243.03
$5,888.81
$7,089.02
$7,856.74
$9,732.11
$9,487.39
$10,129.49
$7,083.81
$8,898.51
$7,343.21
$6,313.79
$7,130.30
$9,241.94
M
4
16
34
7
8
4
12
96
18
8
7
13
227
18
63
32
76
6
7
32
169
149
20
17
17
607
Difference
M-F
$160.17
$1,150.48
$1,284.47
$3,541.40
$2,456.14
$1,363.99
$205.66
$1,200.21
$1,875.37
$642.10
$1,814.70
($1,029.42)
$2,111.64
Note: Honors College was omitted (n=1).
Table 5. Aggregate data by College (Prof/Admin - excluding Athletics & Executive Job Families).
College
Count
F
Architecture
Assoc VC/VP, Finance
Assoc VC/VP, Plant Operations
Asst VC/VP, Human Resources
Athletics
Business Administration
Chancellor/President
Ed Tech and Univ Outreach
Education
Engineering
Exec Dir, Public Safety
Grad College of Social Work
Honors College
HRM
Information Technology
Law
CLASS
Library
NSM
Optometry
Pharmacy
Public Broadcasting
Sr VC/VP, Acad Affairs/Provost
Technology
VC/VP, Admin & Finance
VC/VP, Research & Int Prop Mgt
VC/VP, Student Affairs
VC/VP, University Advancement
Grand Total
T HE S TATUS
OF
W OM EN
AT THE
15
108
175
20
18
115
27
21
122
57
34
39
8
48
78
90
279
62
129
95
50
46
172
37
12
108
198
70
2,233
U NIVERSITY
M
22
56
216
4
10
115
16
6
54
116
60
11
10
38
143
63
250
38
261
67
35
50
44
51
1
90
99
18
1,944
OF
Avg. Monthly Salary Rate
F
M
$3,973.86
$5,876.27
$3,636.22
$3,961.26
$1,986.74
$2,820.98
$3,769.48
$4,179.09
$3,141.21
$3,668.28
$5,041.81
$9,451.33
$4,779.98
$5,927.12
$3,807.23
$4,602.35
$4,280.48
$5,926.23
$4,044.59
$8,787.10
$2,645.42
$2,944.54
$4,759.39
$7,224.28
$4,176.40
$3,698.01
$3,134.30
$4,826.65
$4,241.92
$4,706.97
$4,786.73
$7,767.07
$4,290.60
$6,053.06
$3,040.16
$3,601.93
$4,088.30
$7,272.12
$3,879.66
$6,005.56
$4,245.74
$6,634.10
$3,772.93
$4,568.01
$3,469.90
$4,195.59
$5,001.67
$5,565.75
$3,856.99
$2,386.80
$3,925.05
$4,372.82
$2,884.07
$3,200.11
$4,503.51
$4,729.89
$3,806.69
$5,596.16
H O US TON
Difference
M-F
$1,902.41
$325.04
$834.24
$409.61
$527.07
$4,409.52
$1,147.15
$795.13
$1,645.74
$4,742.51
$299.12
$2,464.88
($478.38)
$1,692.35
$465.05
$2,980.33
$1,762.46
$561.78
$3,183.82
$2,125.90
$2,388.36
$795.08
$725.70
$564.08
($1,470.19)
$447.77
$316.04
$226.38
$1,789.48
21
Table 6. Aggregate data by Job Family (excluding President/Chancellor & Head Coaches).
Job Family
Count
F
Admin Faculty
Admin Services
Athletics
Entertainment/Art
Executive
Faculty
Health Services
Info Tech
Library
Operations
Research
Student Services
University Image
University Teaching
Grand Total
Avg. Monthly Salary Rate
M
F
M
Difference
M-F
5
910
15
28
9
357
63
118
68
233
98
233
78
60
3
204
52
52
32
763
14
257
35
369
151
69
24
19
$7,550.06
$3,353.46
$3,633.14
$3,950.10
$12,329.16
$6,448.75
$3,075.23
$4,398.94
$3,136.79
$1,927.38
$3,374.57
$3,349.41
$4,896.80
$3,462.75
$10,131.54
$4,304.89
$4,557.60
$4,326.18
$14,891.74
$8,506.88
$4,522.37
$4,482.41
$3,685.97
$2,741.33
$3,418.55
$3,640.86
$5,106.68
$4,052.21
$2,581.48
$951.43
$924.46
$376.08
$2,562.57
$2,058.13
$1,447.14
$83.47
$549.19
$813.95
$43.98
$291.45
$209.88
$589.45
2,275
2,044
$3,843.38
$5,704.83
$1,861.44
Table 7. Prof/Admin by education level (excluding Chancellor/President & Head Coaches).
Highest Education Level
Count
F
Less Than HS Graduate
HS Graduate or Equivalent
Some College
Technical School
2-Year College Degree
Bachelor's Level Degree
Some Graduate School
Master's Level Degree
Doctorate (Academic)
Doctorate (Professional)
Post-Doctorate
First Professional
Post Master's
Specialist
OF
WOMEN
AT THE
UNIVERSITY
F
M
Difference
M-F
96
327
388
34
146
484
66
286
307
48
31
7
17
43
229
174
21
79
347
59
268
661
35
76
14
17
5
$1,512.77
$2,506.94
$3,050.91
$2,765.89
$3,001.75
$3,836.81
$4,101.78
$4,572.24
$6,157.73
$6,330.45
$6,159.47
$5,398.05
$5,902.44
$
-
$1,996.84
$2,658.73
$3,439.73
$2,948.22
$3,571.02
$4,324.46
$5,254.31
$5,314.92
$8,579.69
$9,110.66
$6,721.92
$9,075.21
$5,620.02
$4,937.26
$484.07
$151.79
$388.82
$182.33
$569.27
$487.65
$1,152.53
$742.68
$2,421.96
$2,780.20
$562.45
$3,677.16
($282.42)
$4,937.26
2,275
2,044
$3,843.38
$5,704.83
$1,861.44
-
Grand Total
THE STATUS
Avg. Monthly Salary Rate
M
OF
HOUSTON
22
VI. ATHLETICS
Athletics play an important role in the life of a university. Students learn how to compete, build
skills in working and playing with others, gain a high level of physical fitness, and make friendships
that can last a lifetime. For some student athletes, scholarships provide the financing of a college
degree that otherwise might not be obtainable.
The University of Houston fields the following men’s teams: baseball, track, golf, basketball, and
football. The women’s teams include: track, softball, basketball, soccer, swimming and diving,
tennis, and volleyball. The total number of participants for the men’s teams is 304 compared with
188 participants for the women’s teams (EADA, 2005). The total expenses for the men’s teams in
2005 were $7,993,517 compared to $3,843,796 for the women’s teams. Men’s teams generated
$4,173,562 in revenues compared to $78,808 for the women’s teams. For male team members,
athletically related student aid totaled $2,137,718 compared to $1,381,303 for female team members.
The Department of Campus Recreation and Intramurals sponsors eighteen sports clubs and in Fall
of 2005, 200 males and 72 females were enrolled (Scamell, 2006).
Athletic Teams Total Expenses, Revenues, and Student Aid in 2005
$9,000,000
$7,993,517
$8,000,000
$7,000,000
$6,000,000
$5,000,000
$4,173,562
$3,843,796
$4,000,000
$3,000,000
$2,137,718
$2,000,000
$1,381,303
$1,000,000
$78,808
$0
Total expenses
Revenues
Male
T HE S TATUS
OF
W OM EN
AT THE
U NIVERSITY
OF
H O US TON
Student aid
Female
23
Coaches’ salaries for the women’s teams are approximately half of the salaries of male coaches.
For the 2006 – 2007, head coaches for the men’s teams were all male, and head coaches for the
women’s teams were all male except for the head coach of the softball team. Therefore, six out of
seven head coaches for the women’s teams are male. At the assistant coach level, there are 17
coaches for the male teams; all are male except for one woman. There are seven male assistant
coaches for the women’s teams and eight female assistant coaches.
In Fall 2005 an Athletic and Academic Life Survey was given to student athletes. One question
asked whether the support provided to male and female athletes was equitable (cited in Scamell,
2006). The first question asked about equity in general and the following questions asked about
equity within seventeen more specific areas. The areas identified as most inequitable included locker
room facilities, equipment and supplies, strength and conditioning, and media relations/publicity.
Interesting, and noted by the report’s author, there was a noticeable difference between the
perceptions of male and female athletes regarding the equitable treatment of student-athletes with
respect to the availability of equipment and supplies as shown below.
Question 52
Significantly greater support given to men (22% of women agreed and 0% of men agreed)
Somewhat more support given to men (26 % of women agreed and 3 % of men agreed)
Equal support given to men and women (51% of women agreed and 95% of men agreed)
Somewhat more support given to women (0% of women agreed and 2% of men agreed)
Significantly greater support given to women (1% of women agreed and 0% of men agreed).
That is, almost half of all women (48%) believed that somewhat or significantly more support is
given to men while only 3% of men expressed the same opinion. In contrast, 95% of men felt equal
support was given to men and women.
The 2005-2006 Division I Athletics Certification Self-Study Instrument (Scamell, 2006) reports
the following:
THE STATUS
OF
WOMEN
AT THE
UNIVERSITY
OF
HOUSTON
24
Over the past three academic years (2002-03, 2003-04, and 2004-05) the participation rate of
female student-athletes has decreased from 42.6 percent in 2002-03 to 41.6 percent in 200304 to where in 2004-05 female student-athletes made up 38.2 percent of all athletic
participants. In contrast, male student-athletes made up 61.8 percent of all athletic
participants whereas males made up 47 percent of the general student undergraduate
population. As a result, in the last three years the participation percentages as reported in
the annual Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act Survey reflect a gap between the men’s
participation rate and the women’s participation rate that has increased from 14.8 percent to
23.6 percent (P. 101).
One of the three-prong tests of compliance with Title IX, a 1972 law that prohibits sexual
discrimination in federally funded educational programs, is the proportionality test. This test posits
that a school’s percentage of female athletes should be proportion to its percentage of female
undergraduate students. It is suggested that the difference be no more than six percentage points.
Coaches Salaries (EADA, FY 2005).
Coaching Salaries*
Men’s Teams
Head Coach
$149,983
Assistant Coaches
$65,380
* Annual Institutional Salary per Person
Women’s Teams
$65,609
$31,740
Coaches Annual Salaries in FY 2005
$149,983
$160,000
$140,000
$120,000
$100,000
$80,000
$65,609
$65,380
$60,000
$31,740
$40,000
$20,000
$0
Head Coach
Assistant Coaches
Male
Female
The Department of Athletics just completed the NCAA Certification and self-study process,
which included a recommendation by the steering committee to have a Title IX audit conducted by
an outside consultant. The university has hired the firm of Lamar Daniels, Inc – the same
organization that recommended the addition of Women's soccer and softball teams in their
T HE S TATUS
OF
W OM EN
AT THE
U NIVERSITY
OF
H O US TON
25
evaluation of the program in 1996. The review will take place in April 2007 and University of
Houston researcher and professor, Dr. Scamell, is organizing the review.
The Equity and Student-Athlete Welfare Subcommittee believes that overall the Department of
Athletics treats male and female athletes equally, and the inequities that exist have more to do with
differences between football and men’s basketball and all other sports, rather than gender differences
(Scamell, 2006). They note progress in achieving gender equity in sports, such as adding women’s
softball as a varsity sport in the 2000-01 academic year.
The 2005-2006 Division I Athletics
Certification Self-Study Instrument includes a Gender Issues Plan for Improvement.
The status of female student athletes at the University of Houston is echoed nationally in a
research report presented by the Women’s Sports Foundation, entitled Who’s Playing College Sports?:
Trends in Participation. On the 35th Anniversary of Title IX the report found that college women
continue to be significantly underrepresented among college athletes and the progress of the late
1990s has stalled in the early 2000s. Additionally, the Women’s Sports Foundation issued a report
card on the performance of each institution of higher education. The University of Houston earned
a grade of C- due to the 14% proportionality gap, that is, the difference between the percentage of
full-time female undergraduates (52.2%) and the percentage of female athletes (38.2%) based on data
from the 2004-2005 academic year.
THE STATUS
OF
WOMEN
AT THE
UNIVERSITY
OF
HOUSTON
26
VII. VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Although a university campus is a place for learning and growing, unfortunately, as a microcosm
of society, it can also be a place of violence. When young women arrive on campus they are told
both how to register for courses and how to deter sexual assaults. They must learn the location of
emergency call boxes as well classrooms and libraries.
For example, a sexual assault not reflected in
the statistics below occurred on campus on February 12, 2007, at 7:55pm when a female student
walked to her vehicle from the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. While she was loading items
into her car, a male assailant pinned her up against her vehicle and forcibly sexually fondled and
assaulted her (UH Security Alert). In another incident reported in the Campus Crime Report in the
Daily Cougar (July 10, 2007), a UH Student reported that her ex-boyfriend came to her apartment
and harassed her, but left before the police could arrive. While the police officers were still at the
scene, the ex-boyfriend called her on the telephone and threatened her with physical harm. A
warrant was issued for terroristic threats and harassment.
According to the University of Houston Department of Public Safety 2005 Annual Security
Report, there were a total of six sex offenses reported in 2005. There were three forcible sexual
offenses committed on campus, two forcible sex offenses at residential facilities, and one on campus
non-forcible sex offense. The gender of the perpetrators and victims is not noted. In the prior year
(2004), no sex offenses were reported. A statewide telephone survey on sexual assault in Texas
(Busch, Bell, DiNitto, & Neff, 2003) found that only 20% of female victims report their assaults to
law enforcement officials. Also, in 2006 there were five on campus and three off campus aggravated
assaults. The gender and relationship of the victim and perpetrator are not reported.
The UH DPS uses the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting/National
Incident-Based Reporting System for defining, reporting, and recording crime.
A forcible sex
offense is any sexual act directed against another person, forcibly and/or against that person’s will; or
T HE S TATUS
OF
W OM EN
AT THE
U NIVERSITY
OF
H O US TON
27
not forcibly or against the person’s will where the victim is incapable of giving consent. This
category includes forcible rape, forcible sodomy, sexual assault with an object, and forcible fondling.
Sex offenses that are not termed forcible include incest and statutory rape.
However, the listed sexual assaults in the annual crime report just begin to tell the story of
violence against women at the University. Numerous incidents of violence against women are
revealed in the Daily Crime Bulletin (UHPD, 2006; 2007), which do not make the annual report.
One of the most frequently reported incidents is harassment by former boyfriends who pursue the
female student with frequent phone calls, emails, or showing up at their residence. Several times exboyfriends were charged with assault or making terroristic threats, often threatening serious bodily
injury. One former boyfriend stole his former girlfriend’s cell phone. Other reports of former
boyfriends involved charges of criminal mischief. Other incidents are not as common but reported
by women: stalking, indecent exposure, and one incident where a man was taking unauthorized
photographs of a woman. Students were not the only women who experienced such incidents.
Female staff and faculty reported harassing emails and phone calls, being followed and called vulgar
names.
The extent of violence against women is difficult at times to assess for many times the police
report does not identify the gender of either the student, staff or faculty member, or perpetrator
instead merely mentioning “the student” or “the staff member.” Sometimes it is difficult to ascertain
the relationship between victim and perpetrator. In the annual crime report a tally of interpersonal
violence and harassment is not reported.
THE STATUS
OF
WOMEN
AT THE
UNIVERSITY
OF
HOUSTON
28
VIII. CHILD CARE
Mason and Goulden (2004) believe that assessing gender equity in academia should not be
limited to professional outcomes, but must also include family outcomes. In a society in which
women continue to have primary responsibility for childcare, childcare facilities on campus are of
special concern to women. Women’s status as mothers can influence and impact their status in the
work force. For instance, one study (Correll,
Bernard, & Paik, 2007) found a “motherhood
penalty” in which mothers were less likely to be hired, were offered lower salaries, and faced the
perception that they were less committed to the workforce. In an extensive survey of over thirty
thousand PhD’s in all disciplines and more than 8500 active University of California faculty, Mason
and Goulden (2004) found significant differences in family formation between male and female
tenure-track faculty. For instance, when compared to their male counterparts, tenure track female
faculty were less likely to marry and have children, more likely to divorce, and more likely to indicate
that they had fewer children than they wanted to have. Additionally, female faculty with children
were more likely than male faculty to report a great deal of tension or stress in parenting due to work
activities including travel, conferences, writing, and publishing. Women’s prime children-bearing
years and the pursuit of tenure often occur concurrently.
The availability and affordability of childcare thus becomes an important consideration in
determining the status of women on campus. In the Fortune 500’s annual list of the 100 Best
Companies to Work For, childcare and work-life balance were cited as the benefits that propelled
companies to the top of the list. Almost one-third of the Best Companies offer onsite childcare and
employees are “encouraged to balance their work and personal life” (CNN, 2007).
Therefore, the status of childcare on the University of Houston campus affects the quality of life
for students, staff, and faculty. Childcare can be a factor in attracting and retaining students, faculty
and staff. A brief review of the childcare options on campus follows.
T HE S TATUS
OF
W OM EN
AT THE
U NIVERSITY
OF
H O US TON
29
A. UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CHILD CARE CENTER.
The University of Houston Child Care Center opened in February 1975 and has capacity for 153
children. The Child Care Center is open from Monday to Friday from 7:00am until 6:00pm. The
Center offers full-time care (five days a week) or part-time care (either two or three days a week).
The Center does not offer drop-in care services, evening, or weekend hours. Eligible children are the
children and legal dependents, between the ages of 3 months and five years, of students, faculty, and
staff of the University of Houston.
The costs of care vary for children of students, faculty and staff as well as for full-time and parttime care. Full-time infant care is approximately $1000 per month. Full-time toddler care costs
approximately $600 per month. Three-day part-time care for toddlers is about $600 a month and
two-day care is about $560 per month.
University of Houston students have priority and the Student Fees Advisory Committee (SFAC)
scholarship is available for student parents who qualify based on financial need as determined by the
UH Scholarships and Financial Aid Office. There are only nine infant slots to serve the entire
university community and the current waiting list has fifty names. The childcare facilities are housed
in “temporary” metal buildings that are thirty years old.
B. THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAB SCHOOL.
The University of Houston Human Development Laboratory School is part of the College of
Education. The school provides education for pre-schoolers and kindergarteners. Enrollment is
open to the general public and the children range in age from 18 months to 5 years old. Prices range
from $625 a month for a half-day program to $750 a month for a full-day program. The current
enrollment is 65 students. There is no drop-in, evening, or weekend hours.
THE STATUS
OF
WOMEN
AT THE
UNIVERSITY
OF
HOUSTON
30
C. UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CHARTER SCHOOL.
The University of Houston Charter School is a public school sponsored by the University of
Houston and chartered by the Texas State Board of Education. The school opened in January 1997
and includes kindergarten through grade five with an enrollment of 130 students. The school runs
from mid-August to May. Before and after school care and summer programs are available for an
additional fee. Students and families come from the greater Houston area and are not restricted to
University of Houston students, faculty, and staff.
T HE S TATUS
OF
W OM EN
AT THE
U NIVERSITY
OF
H O US TON
31
IX. WOMEN’S DEPARTMENTS ON CAMPUS
There are three University divisions that specifically focus on women and women’s issues on
campus:
The University Commission on Women, the Women’s Studies Department, and the
Women’s Resource Center.
A. THE UNIVERSITY COMMISSION ON WOMEN.
On September 24, 1999, University of Houston President Arthur K. Smith appointed a
Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. This Commission was initially composed of
female faculty, staff and student representatives. On November 17, 1999, based upon
recommendations by Commission members, the Commission was expanded to include male
members as well as non-exempt staff. The mission of the Commission is to:
„
Identify the concerns of women at the University;
„
Promote gender equality throughout all areas of the university community;
„
Recommend to the appropriate administrative offices ways to address the concerns of
women at the university;
„
Communicate and collaborate with other committees and organizations to provide support,
advocacy, and information regarding women's issues;
„
Raise awareness regarding behaviors, actions, issues, policies, and procedures that affect the
status of women.
The University Commission on Women reports to the president of the University of Houston
and is charged with the responsibility of informing and advising the president and the senior
administrative leadership as well as the general university community on issues and concerns that
have an impact on women at the University of Houston. The commission works in consultation with
THE STATUS
OF
WOMEN
AT THE
UNIVERSITY
OF
HOUSTON
32
the senior administration, deans, academic department chairs, and administrative department and
program managers, as well as the Staff Council, Student Government Association, and Faculty
Senate.
The Commission meets monthly and is currently focusing on three major issues: mentoring, the
climate for women on campus, and work-family life issues, with a special focus on childcare. The
Commission has begun a pilot mentoring project for faculty and staff, which is composed of nine
mentor-protégé pairs. The program is currently undergoing a process evaluation. It is hoped that if
the program demonstrates success that the University of Houston will adopt the program and
institute it annually.
B. WOMEN’S STUDIES.
Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary academic field that analyzes and investigates gender's
functions in society and women's roles, issues, history, and contributions to humankind. Women's
Studies at the University of Houston was established in the Summer of 1991 under the College of
Liberal Arts and Social Science (CLASS). The program offers an interdisciplinary undergraduate
minor and an interdisciplinary graduate certificate - both consist of courses drawn from the
humanities, fine arts, law, and social and health sciences. Women’s Studies also offers fellowships
and grants; sponsors the Women’s Archives and Research Center, a unique collection of documents
from active and historical Houston area women's organizations and individuals associated with these
organizations, as well as Texas women's oral histories; and a Friends of Women’s Studies
organization, which supports the University of Houston Women's Studies Program through campus
and community activities and financial and volunteer efforts.
The Women’s Studies program also has a network of Faculty Affiliates whose purpose
includes:
T HE S TATUS
OF
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„
To build a supportive interdisciplinary community for faculty who share an interest in
research and/ or teaching about women and gender issues. This includes the sponsorship of
a monthly faculty seminar to focus on reading and discussion on current topics or on
presentation of individual faculty research.
„
To identify all UH faculty working in this area and gather complete information about their
research and teaching interests and use this information to refer students and colleagues to
appropriate resources, to recruit interested faculty for special events and projects, and to
assess the university's strengths and needs in women's studies across the curriculum.
„
To provide official acknowledgement of the contributions faculty make to the program,
believing it is important that faculty members' voluntary efforts on behalf of interdisciplinary
programs be recognized as a valuable service to the university.
There are over 50 faculty affiliates that represent the following disciplines: English, History,
Architecture, Economics, Modern & Classical Languages, Art, Philosophy, Social Work, Biology,
Chemistry, Anthropology, Sociology, Law, Communication, and Health and Human Performance.
In the academic year 2006-2007 there were 38 undergraduate Women Studies minors: 37 women and
one man. In that same time period there were 20 students seeking graduate certificates: 18 women
and two men.
C. THE WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER.
The Women’s Resource Center was established through the efforts of the University
Commission on Women and officially opened in January 2004 . The goals of the WRC are:
„
To provide a comfortable place where all faculty, staff, and students can go to seek
information on a variety of topics, obtain confidential referrals to appropriate campus and
community resources, and discuss issues of concern;
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„
To educate the UH community on subjects that affect women and to promote community
awareness through partnerships with other UH organizations;
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„
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To identify and research issues that affect UH women;
To serve as a liaison between women on campus and the system administration; and
To celebrate the achievements of UH women.
In the Fall of 2006 the WRC served 2,240 people: 95% students, 5% staff, and less than 1%
faculty. Students served were 78% female and 22% male. The WRC’s website has an average of 917
hits per day.
Regular programming includes: Food for Thought, a weekly lunch meeting with a
speaker; Movie Madness, a weekly gender-themed movie is screened; Cougar Women at Work, a
networking and educational group for female faculty and staff; and LifeSpan, a support group for
nontraditional, older students. Special events include celebration of Love Your Body Day, as well as
violence awareness programs, such as V-Day and Take Back the Night march. The Center is also
home to one of three lactation rooms on campus. The Center also provides some concrete services
such as computers, feminine hygiene products, and a small gender-themed library.
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X. DISCUSSION
This report documents the status of female staff, students, and faculty at the University of
Houston. It is hoped that this will become a regular report in order to observe trends over time.
The numbers seem to support the metaphor of the glass being half full or half empty, depending
upon one’s perspective.
The Glass is Half Full. First, the glass is half full perspective points to real gains for women.
Moving from 1885 when there was concern that higher education for women was detrimental for
their physical and mental health, women have indeed “Come a long way, baby!” For instance,
women at the University of Houston comprise the majority of students and are more likely than their
male counterparts to be enrolled, retained, and graduated. Although this state of affairs would seem
to warrant celebration, at times this news is greeted with concern.
For example, the author
(Nissimov, 2003) of an article in the Houston Chronicle wondered if the gains of women were made at
the expense of men and worried that if women outnumber and outperform men in college there
would be less similarly educated men for them to marry.
The data do not seem to support the supposition that women’s gains are at the expense of men.
For instance, male attendance at the University of Houston from 2001-2005 has generally increased
or held stable for men across all racial and ethnic groups. Two reports have also challenged the
notion that women are achieving academically in college at the expense of men (King, 2006; Mead,
2006). The one group that is lagging behind their female counterparts at the University of Houston
is African American men, and this may reflect a problem with race and class as well as gender. This
under representation of African American men at the University of Houston is a concern and must
be addressed in order to achieve racial as well as gender equality.
Although women are making strides on campus in enrollment and graduation rates, there is
concern if their educational success can be translated into career success once they leave the confines
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of campus. Can the gains achieved by young women obtaining a college degree overcome the wage
gaps, sexual harassment, motherhood penalties, glass ceilings, and maternal walls that face young
women in the workplace? A recent report by the American Association of University Women
entitled Beyond the Pay Gap (Dey & Hill, 2007) found that one year out of college, women working full
time earn only 80% as much as their male colleagues and that gap widens to earning only 69% as
much as their male counterparts ten years after graduation.
The Glass is Half Empty. There is much in this report that suggests the glass is half empty for
women on campus. The leadership of the University of Houston, including the Board of Regents,
Administration, Faculty Senate, and Student Government remain largely male-dominated. Only the
Staff Council is predominately female. There are more male professors than female professors at
every rank and the higher the rank the higher the percentage of male professors. Some colleges show
marked gender imbalance among both students and faculty. Across the country there has been much
concern raised about the lack of women in the fields of math and science and the University of
Houston reflects national trends with few women in tenure track positions in these disciplines.
Reported sexual offenses rose noticeably in a single year, from 0 in 2004 to 6 in 2005. Although
salary differences between men and women range across positions and departments, the overall
pattern is one of men being paid more than women. The number of female athletes is declining
rather than increasing.
Female athletes receive less athletically related student aid scholarships than their male
counterparts and coaches of the women’s teams are paid half of what coaches for the men’s teams
are paid. There are only 153 childcare slots reserved for UH students, staff, and faculty and they are
housed in “temporary” buildings that are 30 years old. There are nine infant care slots available and a
waiting list of 50 people.
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XI. RECOMMENDATIONS
Although there are many recommendations the University of Commission on Women could
make, we have chosen to focus on four areas that require immediate attention.
1) A primary finding of this report is that women are under represented at the highest
levels at the University of Houston, both within the administration and faculty. The
University Commission on Women recommends that qualified women should be
seriously considered whenever administrative or faculty positions are open. Female
and male candidates who are considered for these positions should demonstrate
knowledge of and commitment to gender equity issues including equal pay, family
friendly policies and benefits, addressing the glass ceiling phenomenon, child care
issues, and equity for female athletes on campus.
2) A second issue raised by this report is concern for childcare on campus. Only 153
spots for childcare are designated for university-affiliated individuals including 3,300
staff members, over 1,000 instructional faculty, and over 34,000 students. A waiting
list of over 50 people exists for nine infant care slots. Also, the current childcare
center is housed in “temporary” buildings that are thirty years old. The University
Commission on Women recommends the following:
a.
That a campus wide survey be conducted to assess the need for childcare for faculty,
staff, and students.
b. That the survey include assessing the need for drop-in, part-time and evening childcare.
c.
That if the survey indicates a need for more childcare that the construction of new
childcare facilities be considered as part of the new “Master Plan.”
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d. That the administration and Human Resources Department continue to work with
interested parties including the University Commission on Women to increase the
offerings of family friendly benefits to students, staff, and faculty.
3) A third issue of concern identified in this report is that despite multiple efforts to
increase the participation of female athletes on campus the number is declining. The
University Commission on Women recommends that a member of the Commission
serve as a member of the Athletics Advisory Committee and The Equity and
Student-Athlete Welfare Subcommittee in order to monitor the status of female
athletes on campus as well as to join in the work to achieve greater equity between
women’s and men’s sports on campus.
4) The final issue involves violence against women. Research reveals that violence
against women is underreported and the University needs more precise numbers to
better assess the extent and scope of the problem. The University Commission on
Women recommends that the University of Houston Police Department report all
crimes by gender and note the relationship between the perpetrator and victim, if
known.
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REFERENCES
American Association of University Women. (2006). Online Museum.
http://www.aauw.org/museum/history/1181_1899/index.cfm. Retrieved 1/3/2007.
Busch, N.B., Bell, H., DiNitto, D.M., & Neff, J.A. (2003). A health survey of Texans: A focus on sexual
assault. Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault, The University of Texas at Austin.
Cable News Network. (2007). 100 best companies to work for 2007. Retrieved from
http://money.cnn.com/maganzines/fortune/bestcompanies/2007/benefits on February 2,
2007.
Campus Crime. (Tuesday, July 10, 2007). Daily Cougar. P. 3.
Correll, S.J., Benard, S., & Paik, In. (2007). Getting a job: Is there a motherhood penalty? American
Journal of Sociology, 112, (5), 1297-1338.
Curtis, J. W., & Jacobs, M.F. (2006). Consequences: An increasingly contingent faculty. American
Association of University Professors.
Dey, J.G., & Hill, C. (2007). Behind the pay gap. American Association of University Women
Educational Foundation. Washington, DC.
Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (2005). University of Houston Athletics Office. Houston, TX.
Facts at a Glance (2006). Fall 2006 Facts. Office of Institutional Research. University of Houston.
Houston, TX.
Faludi, S. (1999). Backlash. New York: Crown Publishers.
Gouge, J. (2006). UH Leadership. President’s Annual Report: Masterfully Planned. University of
Houston, Houston, TX.
King, J. E. (2006). Gender equity in higher education. American Council on Education Center for Policy
Analysis. Washington, DC.
Mason, M.A., & Goulden, M. (2004). Marriage and the baby blues: Redefining gender equity in the
academy. Annals, AAPSS, 596, 86-103.
Mead, S. (2006). The truth about boys and girls. Education Sector. Washington, DC.
Nissimov, R. (June 16, 2003). Gender gap reaches new degree; some experts worry as women
outnumber men at colleges. Houston Chronicle, 1A.
Retention and Graduation Rates, 1998-2005. Full-Time New Freshman Retention and Graduation
by Gender. Office of Institutional Research. University of Houston. Houston, TX.
Scamell, R. (2006). 2005-2006 Division I Athletics Certification Self-Study Instrument. University of
Houston, Houston, Texas.
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Statistical Handbook 2005-06. Faculty Demographics by University. Faculty Headcount by Rank,
Diversity, and Gender. Office of Institutional Research. University of Houston. Houston,
TX.
University of Houston Department of Public Safety. 2005 Annual Security Report. Houston, Texas.
Author.
University of Houston Police Department. Daily Crime Bulletin, 2006, 2007.
http://www.uh.edu/police/dcb-2006.htm Retrieved July 15, 2007.
West, M.S., & Curtis, J.W. (2006). AAUP Faculty Gender Equity Indicators 2006. American Association
of University Professors. Washington, DC.
Women’s Sports Foundation. (June 5, 2007). Who’s Playing College Sports?: Trends in Participation.
East Meadow, NY. Author.
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